The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the death penalty of Ahmed Bawa Abbu Abubakar Barelvi, one of the 38 convicts sentenced to capital punishment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case [Ahmed Bawa @ Abbu Abubakar Barelvi Versus The State of Gujarat and Ors.].
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Augustine George Masih passed the order while hearing Barelvi's challenge to the Gujarat High Court judgment upholding his conviction and death sentence.
Appearing for Barelvi, his counsel submitted,
“I have been convicted totally on the basis of conspiracy.”
Taking note of the submissions, Justice Nath said,
“Alright, execution of the sentence will be stayed.”
The Ahmedabad serial blasts took place on July 26, 2008, when a series of explosions struck different parts of the city. The blasts killed 56 people and injured more than 200 others.
A special court in Gujarat in February 2022 convicted 49 accused in the case. It sentenced 38 of them to death and 11 to life imprisonment, while acquitting 28 others.
The Gujarat High Court subsequently heard appeals against the convictions and the State's death sentence confirmation proceedings.
In July 2026, the High Court upheld the convictions and death sentences of the 38 convicts.
Barelvi challenged that judgment before the Supreme Court.
During Thursday's hearing, Barelvi's counsel also sought a translated copy of the Gujarat High Court judgment, pointing out that the trial court records were in Gujarati.
The Court issued notice to the State of Gujarat, seeking its response to the plea.
It also stayed the death sentence.
Advocates Ashwin Vaish, MS Mukarram, Ashutosh Thakur, Amit Kumar, Harsh Jha, Yashaswi Dasari and Uttam Panwar appeared for Barelvi.
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